Private school lateral flow tests

[lunapeace]

So private schools will be obtaining the free lateral flow tests provided by the government. Bearing in mind everything else is paid for in private schools including exam entries, parents know this when they sign up, why are they receiving free tests? In fact, why aren't pupils tested properly once a week (as happens in many workplaces) and funded by the parents? Could someone answer this. I work in a state school and already we are hearing of a shortage of tests for all staff, it just makes me angry that the big independent up the road has all the resources but aren't dipping into their pockets. Bearing in mind they claimed furlough for most support staff (fees were only reduced a fraction) and are no doubt in a better off position than they were.

Because we public school parents pay our taxes the same as everyone else? In fact, arguably, as top rate tax payers we pay a damn sight more in tax than most other people, which funds, oh let me think - oh yeah state schools and the NHS, among others.

@LIZS

Businesses can apply for their employees working in offices or out of home to get free asymptomatic tests, why is this any different?

This.

I suspect the difference is the OPs level of jealousy towards those receiving a private education.

Literally anyone can get a LFT now for any reason.

Charging private schools and their families for LFTs is a long slippery slope to allowing the wealthy to procure private covid vaccines.

Do you think the OP realises that private school kids get their annual flu vaccine for free? Bunch of free loaders.

Oo goady and tedious. That's a special skill.

@Kimye4eva

Do you think the OP realises that private school kids get their annual flu vaccine for free? Bunch of free loaders.

I also use childcare vouchers for after school clubs 🤫. Will go and flog myself now!

I'm no fan of private education, but this is a public health issue and I think it's right that all schools should receive the tests.

If there are concerns about an insufficient number of tests for state school staff, that is the issue that you should be complaining about. Please take it up with your MP if this is actually an issue.

This has to be one of the most ill thought out things I have read on here.
Schools haven’t decided that pupils need to be tested - it was a government decision.
Private schools kids are just as entitled as any other child to have a free test. Why wouldn’t they be?

The jealousy is astounding.

Seriously? It's a health issue. Sod all to do with education. Get a bloody grip.

OP, do you have a link for the change in policy? Can’t find it online.

My DH works for a secondary private school in London and they have had to pay for their own lateral flow tests. Nothing free from the NHS.
Interested if this has changed because they have already paid for the tests and equipment back in January.

I'm embarrassed for you just reading this OP

It's a public health issue

Just as DC in private schools receive their NHS jabs, they receive their NHS covid tests

Well it's not jealousy, I can assure you of that

Slippery slope to start charging for mandated tests.

Children are required to be tested by the government. Employers choosing to buy LFTs for their employees when they don't have to is an entirely different business choice.

Also, many private schools are struggling and you don't necessarily have to be wealthy to send your child to a private school. There are bursaries, there are lower cost private schools and some people choose to e.g. rent rather than buy a house because they value education more than home ownership. It's just not black and white.

*The same way that people with private health care cover get to use the NHS for free.

Because, as well as paying for their child's education in a private school, they also pay their taxes like everyone else?*

This

And the fact that the Government want all pupils tested. It's not the schools but the Government, so they should supply the tests for free!

It's a public health issue.

Also, many well off parents (compared to many of us) will often put everything into their child's education going without things themselves. Part of the fees paid by parents will be used to fund children from less priviledged for scholarship and bursary purposes, as private schools are run on a charitable basis. Also they pay their fair share of taxes, so these two points alone show they're putting something back into the system for the rest of us.

I pay for my DCs education on top of the £7k for state education. As a family we pay enormous amounts in tax. And you want us to pay more for a government mandated public health programme designed to protect the nation?

Do fuck off.

@lunapeace

I get the argument as far as the pupils and teachers go but private schools employ many many more support staff than the average state school. A huge amount of staff in kitchens, domestics, offices etc. It takes the lateral flow tests for them to all of a sudden join the world of testing. They should have brought in private companies to test last year.

Where are all these huge numbers of staff. Most private schools are quite small. I suspect there are twice if not three times as many staff/support staff at your school than mine.

all businesses with 50 members of staff (as well as all schools) are entitled to the tests. How could you possibly exempt a private school from that?
And as for the kids it's a public health issue as everyone has said. If on the other hand there was an outbreak of some disease or other confined to the school the school could be liable to pay for whatever testing was required but you can hardly blame the private school for a pandemic! For reasons already stated, private schools are businesses which are probably struggling in the pandemic due to parents being made redundant etc and have probably had to fork out a lot of money on making things covid secure/load of hand sanitiser etc. In fact state schools I think have been given a budget for this while private schools have to pay out of their own pocket. They've not exactly been enjoying all this.

Are you saying that all of us who can afford private healthcare should also be paying privately for our own tests? Despite the fact that the government has asked us to do them?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a united ‘private schools’ thread!

Everyone on both sides of the debate can see the OP is jealous and being ridiculous.

* I* work in a state school and already we are hearing of a shortage of tests for all staff, it just makes me angry that the big independent up the road has all the resources but aren't dipping into their pockets.

Even if parents were to pay for these tests, in addition to already paying taxes for state education as well as independent school fees, how would they alleviate the shortage you mention?

I am not very impressed with the tests for documented reasons of accuracy and false negatives, but this is a public health measure and those children and staff form part of the 'public' too. How would it benefit anyone for them to be denied the tests?

Is there no end to how Covid can be used to 'prove' a political point?

tbh I think the private school mine go to actually did buy a load back in January all ready for opening.....which obviously didn't happen